1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for the continuous polymerization of feed material to higher viscosity process product, and more particularly, it relates to a polycondensation reactor which improves mass transfer and hence reaction rate by exposing more of the liquid material to the lowest possible vessel pressure. This acceleration of the polycondensation part of polymerization allows higher intrinsic viscosity synthetic polymeric material to be prepared in the reactor for a given residence time.
2. The Prior Art
This invention is particularly adapted for use in a process for the preparation of linear condensation polyesters as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,461 to Balint et al., hereby incorporated by reference. The polycondensation reactors 12 and 15 of this patent each comprises a vertical, hollow, heated vessel having two reaction stages formed by an annular wall attached within the vessel at its base; the first stage is disposed between the wall and the vessel with the inlet opening thereto for feed of feed materials, and the second stage is confirmed by the wall with the outlet discharging a higher viscosity process product therefrom. The present invention is a modification of this reactor to increase mass transfer and allow increased throughput through the vessel.
Other pertinent art is U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,577,856 to Nelson, 3,509,203 to Michaelis et al., 3,787,481 to Siclari et al., and 4,100,142 to Schaefer et al., and British Patent Specification No. 729,440 to Smith, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.